Rhondda Cynon Taf

Health improved substantially in Rhondda Cynon Taf in the decade to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, housing tenure and marriage.

The population passed 230,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Rhondda Cynon Taf increased by 1.1%, from almost 232,000 to 234,000.

The addition of almost 2,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Rhondda Cynon Taf was home to, on average, 3.9 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Rhondda Cynon Taf

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Rhondda Cynon Taf increased by two years, from 38 to 40 years.

This industrial area had a slightly lower average age than Torfaen (one of the most statistically similar areas to Rhondda Cynon Taf based on ONS area classifications) (41 years of age) and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 5,300 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 5,000.

About 12% of people in Rhondda Cynon Taf are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Welsh language in Rhondda Cynon Taf

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Rhondda Cynon Taf remained close to 12% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 274 more people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 1,357.

In Merthyr Tydfil (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Rhondda Cynon Taf), 8.9% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 10% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50% to 44%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Health improved

Rhondda Cynon Taf saw Wales' second-largest fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across Wales saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 12% to 7.6%.

In 2011, just under 1 in 10 (9.6%) in Rhondda Cynon Taf said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 16% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 61% to 75%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 18% to 11%).

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Rhondda Cynon Taf decreased by 6.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

Rhondda Cynon Taf saw Wales' largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households.

During this period, Rhondda Cynon Taf overtook four local authority areas, including Cardiff and Newport, to become the Wales local authority area with the third-highest percentage of single-parent households.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) households in Rhondda Cynon Taf had a single parent, compared with 12% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising a married couple decreased from 38% to 33%.

Wrexham saw Wales' next largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households (from 9.7% to 11%).

The percentage of households with a single-parent was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

Rhondda Cynon Taf saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of self-employed people.

During this period, Rhondda Cynon Taf fell below to become the Wales local authority area with the sixth-lowest percentage of self-employed people.

In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.4%) people aged 16 to 74 in Rhondda Cynon Taf said they were self-employed, compared with 4.9% in 2001. The percentage that were employed increased from 47% to 49%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of self-employed people occurred in Monmouthshire (from 10% to 12%).

The rate of self-employment in Rhondda Cynon Taf increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Wales that said they were self-employed, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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